Wolven One
by Lady In Shadows
Summary: Fate could have taken a much different path for Kyt... What if it had? *Warning, this story is not going to have a happy ending. Reviews are appreciated, they help me improve. T for safety*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Do I look like Arenanet? No? Then obviously, I don't own Guild Wars.

Note From The Shadows: Hullooo! So, yeah. New story, because I got a plot bunny that refuses to let go that I want to play around with. No worries, I'm not abandoning my other stories, I'll be updating those soon, all at once. This chapter is dedicated to Phil. Happy birthday, Phil!

[Chapter One: Wild Child]

The young thief stretched and yawned, hood obstructing her line of sight. She straightened, looking to her traveling companion with a grin, eyes twinkling in mischief. "Sooo, fleshy, what're we doing today? Clearing out a cave of bandits? Oh, or maybe we're going to fight the nightmare court again, that was fun, wasn't it? Though I think one of my thorns broke off last time." Her voice seemed much older then she appeared, a hint of sorrow tinting it- but just a hint, very faint.

Jake sighed in exasperation, turning to glare at the sylvari travelling with him. "None of the above, Sikagi. We're going to the Sheamoore Garrison, and we're going to _rest. _In a real bed for once. And then, tomorrow, we'll continue on towards the Shiverpeaks, alright?" The laugh that followed had little mirth to it, though the girl was clearly amused. "Yeah right, Jakey. The day you manage to avoid helping anyone is the day I put down my daggers and become a monk." She twirled one of the mentioned daggers in her hand, before tucking it into the sheath at her hip. Jake rolled his eyes and shook his head, just continuing to walk beside the pink sylvari.

Several hours later, they made it to the garrison. "Jake! Sikagi! Welcome, welcome!" The captain greeted them eagerly, a welcoming smile on his lips. "Hullo, captain. All is well, I hope?" Jake kept his voice polite and even, while Sikagi rolled her eyes, muttering, "Suck-up…" Jake glared at the sylvari, but anything he would have said was cut off. "Well… There _is_ one thing-" The captain paled when Sikagi lifted her head to _glare_ at him, and he quickly backtracked, "-but it's nothing that couldn't wait until morning, I'm certain." He smiles quickly, and Jake relaxed. "Great. I don't suppose you could lead us to a bed, then?" "Ah, yes, of course. Right this way." The captain led them to the bunk house, and Sikagi yawned. "Right. Shoo shoo now, we need sleep." The man nodded, leaving quickly.

"Was that necessary, Sikagi?" Jake looked at his companion as she pulled her pack off, laying her sleeping bag across the bed. "Of course. Unless you _wanted_ to go off on a quest for him right away?" The sylvari didn't even look up as she spoke, removing her boots. "Well, no… But… Oh, I give up." Jake sighed, following her procedure and removing his helmet. "Night, Jake." "Yeah, yeah… Good night, Sikagi."

As Sikagi had expected, in the morning, the captain approached them after breakfast, telling them of a cave of bandits nearby, that needed clearing out. She shared an amused look with Jake, before they set out, sticking to the edge of the cliff. "So, what do you think we'll find in there?" Sikagi looked at Jake, pulling her hood up to cover her head. "Probably not much, apparently these guys have been making trouble for a while now. They probably won't be too much of a problem for us." Jake adjusted his helm, silently noting to himself how much shorter than him Sikagi was. "You'll do your sneaky thing, with those poison darts of yours, and I'll cut them down when they're weakened, alright?" "Right." Sikagi grinned, pausing to get her pack of needles out.

The door guard wasn't large- but, Sikagi thought, looking at the entrance, it didn't need to be, She smirked in amusement, motioning for Jake to wait. She positioned herself carefully, then sent off three darts, one for each guard. Once the poison was in, and starting to hit, she sprung from hiding, neatly cutting them down, then returning to Jake, nodding at him. "Let's go, careful." She pushed the wooden door open, peeking inside- and that's where the plan went wrong.

If you asked Sikagi later what happened, she wouldn't have been able to tell you. It was a whirlwind of blades and arrows and death- and, some part of her noticed. They fought their way through the cave, up to another wooden door. "Bet there's some more up here?" Jake commented quietly. She nodded, and flung the door open.

Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't this. The cave was pretty much empty, at first glance- but a soft sound, almost a growl, drew their attention. Huddled in a small niche, on top of a pile of furs, was a young woman. Violet eyes watched them, wary and frightened. The girl was frighteningly thin, holding a knife in one hand. She growled again, evidently deciding they weren't moving fast enough. Sikagi glanced at Jake- and sighed, knowing from his expression what he was about to do.

The man moved forward, kneeling a safe-ish distance away from the girl. He looked her over. "Shh, we're not going to hurt you, dear… Calm down…" She growled louder, threateningly jabbing at him with a knife. "Come on, you're injured…" "Well, at least now we know why they sent _us. _How much do you want to bet that they knew about her?" Sikagi looked at the feral woman, while Jake glared at her. "Well, we can't leave her here." He looked back at the feral girl. "Will you come willingly?" Her only answer was to jab at him, the knife clinking against his armor. He sighed. "Thought not…" As he spoke, he swiftly reached forward, gripping her wrists in one hand. He fought to get the knife away from her, then passed it to Sikagi. The moment the knife was no longer a risk, he scooped her up, holding her like a child. The hand supporting her upper back still gripped her wrists, as the girl thrashed and struggled, trying to get away. He ignored this, carrying her to the exit of the cave. Sikagi looked on with amusement.

What should have been a five minute walk, instead took half an hour as he carried her back to the garrison. When they neared, the girl made a soft sound- a sound almost identical to a wolf pup's whimper. Jake looked at Sikagi, who shrugged helplessly.

The captain was waiting to greet them when they arrived. "Oh! I see you've found a stray." Jake glared over at him, while the girl ceased struggling, and just whimpered, looking up at Jake through big, frightened violet eyes. "You knew about her, didn't you?" Jake could barely constrain his rage, still holding the girl's wrists. "Well… Somewhat. We knew she was in the area, but not where she lived. She's been causing trouble for a while now."

Sikagi rolled her eyes. "Riiight. And now you're going to apologize for tricking us, right?" A few soldiers came over, standing behind the captain. "Oh! Right! Yes, I _am_ sorry for the deceit, truly. Thank you for helping us to apprehend her, truly, we are all grateful. She's caused quite a bit of trouble here." Jake handed the girl over reluctantly, as the soldiers reached for her. She started struggling again, growling and whimpering. "What sort of trouble?" Jake looked back to the captain.

"She's been frightening townsfolk, and she steals, quite a bit. A few people say she's injured them when they tried to speak to her, as well." Jake looked back at the small woman, as the soldiers carried her away. She was still putting up a fight, but she seemed awfully small… Jake shook his head, trying to dislodge the mental images that were forming.

Sikagi spoke up, not desiring to give Jake a chance to be all 'noble' and stuff. "Well, just pay us and we'll be on our way." She twirled her dagger in a silent warning, and the captain nodded quickly, handing over a pouch of money. Again, Sikagi didn't give Jake a chance to speak, just grabbing his arm and dragging him off, away from the garrison.

It would be six months before they returned, six months for history to take it's course. Six long months of travelling, of battles and jobs to do, of people to save. Six long months, in which both Jake and Sikagi forgot all about the young, wolven woman they had left behind in the Sheamoor Garrison. A fact they would both come to regret, it would later be revealed, when they saw her again. For now, though, they would just forget about her, and let history and fate, take their course.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the universe, nope-nope-nope.

Authors Note: Wheeee! Hullo there! We're baaaack! As you have seen, I have indeed updated my other stories, as promised. Jake is no one important, I just picked a random name for him. …Okay, so he's important to the story, but, what I mean is that he's not based off any in-game characters. Sikagi, however? Is.

[Chapter Two: Never Mild]

Six months passed before they returned to the city, laden with treasures and gold. Well, maybe not treasures, but gold, certainly- enough to allow them to live in comfort for several months, at least, perhaps half a year or more. It seemed, Jake mused to himself, that Sikagi had been right. Those living in the lands past the Shiverpeaks were more than happy to pay for their services, be it in clearing the area of bandits, helping with the livestock, or, in some areas, protecting them from the branded as they made their way to safer areas.

In fact, that last reason was the very reason they had returned. A merchant, hailing from Ebonhawke, had agreed to pay them a rather handsome some of money, if they would but escort him to the Sheamoor garrison. Sikagi separated herself from Jake, she and the trader splitting off to discuss the matter of their pay, as Jake looked around at the garrison, noting changes. The gates had been repaired, evidently many times, and parts of the bridges leading to and from the garrison were damaged, badly. Something caught his attention, in the corner of his eye, and he turned.

At first, he saw nothing special, just an empty holding cell. As he blinked, wondering what had caught his eye, he saw it. Huddled up in the corner of the cell, covered in dirt and grime, was the very girl he had brought back here, six months ago- the girl her had forgotten. A rope led from her neck to a hook in the back of the cage. Her clothes were dirty and worn, her skirt nearly torn away. She was growling weakly at some soldiers nearby, cowering in the corner of the filthy cell. Jake noticed, with no small amount of alarm, that she was even _thinner_ then she was the last time he had seen her.

Sikagi, by now, had finished talking to the trader about the matter of their payment. She walked over, head tilting. "What are you looking a- Oh…" Sikagi stared over at the girl in the cell, wordless horror filling her expression. Well, at least, wordless at first. "Okay, that's just _wrong_. I'm going to talk to the captain, she's _not_ staying in there." Jake almost grinned at the fury in the sylvari's voice, as she marched off to go deliver an earful to a certain unsuspecting captain. Jake, meanwhile, walked up to the cell, kneeling by it. "Girl? Are you awake?" He was met with a weak growl. The girl stirred, lifting his head to look at him, violet eyes bright and filled with terror. "By the six… We're going to get you out of there, okay? You'll be alright. I promise."

Sikagi returned shortly, looking disgusted, dragging the captain along behind her. Her hood had fallen back, revealing her rather pinkish features. Her face was pointy and angular, with thorns along the bridge of her nose and her eyebrows. Her eyes were a deep maroon, almost pure red. She glared hatefully at the captain, and Jake stood, glaring. The captain spoke before Jake got a chance. "That girl is a killer. We tried to rehabilitate her into society, she killed two of my men before we could stop her. She's a beast, this is for her own good. If we let her out, she'll just kill again."

Jake felt a hint of uncertainty, now, looking over at the girl. True, she looked miserable in the cell, but, she was dangerous, wasn't she? He vaguely remembered carrying her, how she had whimpered when they neared this place, how frighteningly fragile she was. He chewed his lower lip, thinking, then sighed. "Release her into my custody. I'll rehabilitate her myself."

Sikagi looked to Jake gratefully, but the girl, however, did not, cowering in the back of the tiny cell. The captain nodded, walking forward and pulling out a key, which he then slipped into the lock, turning it and stepping back. The door swung open, with a creak, and the girl bolted. The rope around her neck came to just out of arms reach of the door itself, choking her, until she took a step back, alleviating the tension on the rope. Jake looked to the captain in disgust, then stepped forward, holding his hand out.

The girl's reaction was instantaneous. She whimpered, scuttling back to her corner to cower away from him. Jake paused, lowering his hand and stepping back, looking to Sikagi. The sylvari grimaced, walking forward and into the cage itself, until she was less then afoot away. She knelt in front of the girl, whispering softly. The girl whimpered and cringed at first, until Sikagi stood, walking towards the hook on the wall. She lifted the rope from the end of the hook, and walked back to the girl, showing her. Jake watched the scene, grimacing as he looked to the captain, who glared into the cell. "I have one condition for you taking her with you. The rope stays, as insurance to the townsfolk that she won't bolt and kill us all." Jake looked to the captain, fury rising in him. "That's despicable! She's not an animal!" "Yes, she is. She's a beast, and a killer. You can't expect us to trust her."

Jake glared at him, as Sikagi led the girl out of the cell. She whimpered and tried to scuttle back in when she saw the captain, but Sikagi wouldn't relent, tugging the rope gently until she stood near Jake. "Anything, _else_, we should be concerned about?" Sikagi asked, practically spitting the words. When the captain shook his head, she relaxed. "Good. Come on, Jake." She started to lead the girl away from the garrison, stopping when the girl stumbled. Sikagi turned, taking in the girl's appearance, looking her over.

She couldn't be more then sixteen, just skin and bones, covered in dirt and grime. There was a long, nasty looking cut along her arm, and she had several bruises and sores, especially along her hands. Sikagi grimaced, looking to Jake, who sighed, walking forward and scooping the girl up. She whimpered at first, struggling weakly, and Jake stroked her hair until she began to calm, eyelids drooping. Jake grimaced, and they began walking once more.

They walked for ages, finally stopping at a river, In Kessek. Somewhere along the way, the girl had let herself be lured into sleep, shivering and curling against Jake, who smoothed her hair gently. "We'll set up camp here," Sikagi said softly, removing her pack and letting it drop to the ground. Jake looked to the girl in his arms. "She needs a bath…" "I'll handle that, you go get food." Jake nodded, handing the girl to his friend as he went off to hunt.

Sikagi looked at the girl in her hands, sighing and approaching the river. She shook her shoulder, gently, waking the girl, who growled. "Shhh… You're okay. I'm going to give you a bath, okay? You're injured, your wounds need cleaning." She kept her voice low and gentle, a tone that she normally reserved for wild animals- a tone Jake would never hear. Sikagi looked at the girl. "Can you undress yourself, or do you need help?" When she nodded, Sikagi set her carefully on the ground, keeping a grip on the rope and turning around, waiting. A few moments later, she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning around.

The girl had her arms covering her chest, a heart-breakingly scared expression on her face. All she wore was a set of metal dog tags, which Sikagi made a mental note to investigate later. Her body was covered with scars, several of these on her thighs. Sikagi grimaced, and scooped her back up, wading into the river. She again turned around, allowing the girl some modesty, still holding the rope. The girl tapped Sikagi's shoulder after a moment, and motioned to her back, looking somewhat pleading. Sikagi realized, after a moment, that the girl was asking for help, and she sighed. "Alright, turn around."

As Sikagi helped the girl to remove the grime from her back, she got her first look at the many scars crisscrossing it- far older than just six months. Her skin was considerably lighter than it had looked at first, now that the dirt was gone. She was still frighteningly thin, wet hair hanging limp against her face. Sikagi gently tugged the rope, leading her back to her clothes. "Go ahead and get dressed, Jake should have food waiting for us."

Not only did Jake have food for them, he'd already set up camp. A couple dead rabbits were roasting over the fire, heat coating them. He looked up, waving a little. "Come sit, ladies. Food should be ready soon." He turned his attention to the girl as she sat gingerly, hesitantly, as far away from him as she could get. He tried to looks friendly, but she cringed when he smiled. "I'm Jake, and my leafy friend here is Sikagi. Do you have a name, wolven one?"

The girl looked at him through purple eyes, hesitantly removing the necklace from inside her shirt, turning it so they could see. Whatever the original name had been was scratched out, replaced with the word 'Kyt'. "Kyt? Is that your name?" Kyt nodded hesitantly, reaching up and tugging at the leash with a growl. "No, no. Stop that, bad. Bad wolf. You need to keep that on, at least until we're out of Kryta. I'm sorry, but that's how it is." Jake kept his voice friendly, but stern, causing the girl to cringe and droop.

The food was soon finished, providing a distraction. Jake pretended not to notice Sikagi giving Kyt part of her share, the feral girl eating the meat with her hands, not missing a crumb. Sikagi had, while the food was cooking, tied the rope securely around the base of a nearby tree, and the moment Kyt was finished eating, she darted over there, climbing the tree with the grace of a squirrel, peering down at Sikagi and Jake. The sylvari thief laughed, watching her. "Having fun, Kyt?" Kyt only growled in response, shuffling until she was hidden by the branches, presumably settling in to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Just playing with the universe.

Note From The Shadows: This occurs two years before Sheamoor is attacked, by the way. It's a bit short, I'm sorry, but I have a total inability to focus. This chapter is dedicated to my brother, who turns eighteen tomorrow. Happy birthday, D!

[Chapter Three: Trust Misgiven]

Sikagi woke to the sound of someone shuffling around. She opened her eyes just a crack, just enough to see Kyt, who had evidently left her tree, searching through Jake's pack, looking for something. Sikagi froze as the feral girl pulled out Jake's eating knife- yet, Kyt didn't try to attack her, or Jake, who truly was still sleeping. Instead, she lifted the knife to her hair, which had grown long, hanging down to her midsection, limply. With a couple quick chops, hair fell to the ground. Kyt was left with hair down to her chin, curling inwards.

Sikagi watched, fascinated, as the feral girl gathered up the hair, climbing up the tree with the grace of a squirrel, After a moment, she dropped back down, holding the knife between her teeth as she landed in a crouch. Sikagi didn't move until she saw Kyt trying to cut the rope, at which point she was up in a flash, grabbing the girl's bony wrists.

Kyt fought for a moment, struggling to get her hands free, to hold onto the knife, yet she didn't stand a chance against the sylvari thief, not in her still weakened state. She growled and whimpered as Sikagi wrenched the knife away from her, keeping a tight grip on her wrists. "Jake! Get up!" Sikagi's shout shattered the early morning air, harsh and loud. She looked over at Jake, who groan and blinked blearily as he sat up. "Mng… What? What did you- oh." Jake pushed himself to his feet, walking over to look. "What happened?" He tilted his head, blinking. "She stole your knife. She was trying to escape."

The girl whimpered pitifully, still struggling to get the knife back, clawing at the hands that held her. "Here, pass me some rope? I'll make sure she doesn't escape, this time." Jake hesitated. "Are you sure that's necessary, Sikagi? She's just a kid, you know…" Sikagi glanced over at him. "She could have killed us both in our sleep. We can untie her when we reach charr lands, she'll be safe-ish there, if she escapes." Jake frowned, then sighed, deciding to trust his friend. "Alright. We'll bring her with us until we reach charr territories, and then, depending on how much understanding of society she's gained, we'll let her go. Deal?" Sikagi nodded in agreement, as Jake passed her some stips of rawhide.

The sylvari thief was swift and meticulous as she tied Kyt's hands together, knotting the material securely and ignoring the girl's whimpers and growls. She released her wrists, taking a step back as the girl tugged at her wrists experimentally, trying to pull them apart. When that didn't work, the girl twisted her hands, trying and failing to reach the knot. She growled in frustration, glaring at Sikagi, who simply looked to Jake smugly. "There. See? We'll be safe now." Jake frowned, and nodded.

There were few problems from Kyt as they walked. The first one was when they passed another traveler along the road- she instantly darted to hide behind the nearest tree, and refused to come out until he was gone. Even then, it took quiet a bit of coaxing- and, eventually, the bribe of some dried meat- to get her to leave her hiding spot, looking up at them, violet eyes wide. Something struck Sikagi as being odd about her eyes, but she couldn't quite place it, and thus, ignored it, dismissing it as unimportant.

They soon figured out that the behavior would be repeated every time they passed someone, the girl seeming to be completely terrified of people. Because of this, they made much worse time then they normally would have, eventually deciding to travel the back roads- where they encountered their second problem.

Centaurs. Sikagi had known that these hills were filled with centaurs, but she'd never thought much of it. Not until Kyt growled and tried to launch herself at one they saw in the distance. Fortunately, Jake saw her, and grabbed her. "Sikagi! Help me out here!" He tried to restrain the struggling girl, as Sikagi ran over, pulling a dart filled with a sedative from her pouch. She jammed it into Kyt's neck, holding it there until the girl went limp in Jake's grasp, violet eyes shutting. Jake scooped her up once he was certain she was unconscious, and Sikagi pulled out the needle. He smoothed her recently cut hair, frowning. "Okay… So what do you think set her off?" He looked to Sikagi, who looked around, then pointed at the barely visible centaur. "That, maybe?" Jake blinked. "…Okay, so centaurs are bad. Good to know, I guess?"

Sikagi chuckled a little, holding out her arms. "Here, pass her to me, I'll carry her for now." Jake looked doubtful in response to this, glancing at the sleeping girl. "…Are you sure, Sikagi? You're not as strong as me, you know." Sikagi sighed in exasperation. "Yes, Jake, I'm sure. She doesn't weigh that much, and if she wakes up, I can just put her back to sleep. Now stop dilly-dallying, and hand her to me." Jake sighed, handing her over. Sikagi adjusted the girl in her arms, patting her head a little, and cradling her gently.

They walked for several more hours, until darkness touched the sky. Kyt still slept, held against Sikagi's chest. She looked much younger then she actually was, in that moment, as Sikagi set her down and took her 'leash', tying it to a sturdy sapling, as Jake began to set up camp- this time, with everything Kyt could use as a weapon placed safely out of her reach. "She's been asleep a long time, do you think you used too much?" He looked to Sikagi as he asked this. Sikagi shook her head as an answer. "She'll be fine, she's just a bit thin, is all."

They were oddly quiet as they sat and ate, occasionally looking at the sleeping girl. Her hair, what was left of it, that is, covered her face, hiding her emotions. She didn't seem peaceful in her sleep, not exactly. Her small form shook with shivers, and maybe something else, her bony hands gripping her necklace tightly. Jake pretended not to notice as Sikagi got up and draped her coat over the girl, reaching down to smooth her hair again. "She's so… Tiny..." she muttered, frowning. "I know… I can't help but wonder what her life was, before we found her…"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: STILL not mine, sorry.

Note From The Shadows: Stuffs finally starting to happen. Sorry about not updating, was sick. Also sorry about the shortness of the chapter, but I couldn't make it longer.

[Chapter Four: Love Unbidden]

It took them two weeks to get out of Kesseck. Kyt was slowly beginning to somewhat trust Sikagi, though Jake still terrified the feral girl. Sikagi kept a near constant watch on her throughout this time, staying within easy reach of the girl. Jake pretended not to notice that Kyt was scared of him, walking beside her and asking her questions about her old life- questions she would answer, no matter how many times Jake asked her, or what ways he did so. Not that this deterred him any. In fact, it seemed to encourage him.

There was only one question that Kyt deigned to answer, one Jake asked as they went through a cave. "Kyt… Did someone hurt you? Back before we found you in that cave?" Jake didn't expect an answer as he asked this question, so when Kyt stopped suddenly, with a soft, sad whine, he turned and looked at her in shock. His eyes widened when she nodded, arms wrapping around herself, and he bit his lip. "Hey… Look, we're not going to hurt you, okay? I promise." Jake looked at the girl in concern, taking in her somewhat ragged appearance and tired looking eyes.

For the first time, Jake realized just how _young_ she was. He knew she was sixteen, but malnutrition, and her looks, made her look like she was, at most, fourteen. And, at the moment, she seemed very young, insecure, and frighteningly vulnerable. She was trying to hide behind Sikagi, making a soft sound, almost like that of a frightened wolf pup. For a moment, Jake began to feel bad for taking her from that cave, for taking her from the only life she knew, thrusting her into a cruel world, a world where people would hurt her only for being different. For a moment, Jake felt this guilt- and silently, made a promise to himself. He owed this girl, now. He owed her a shot at happiness. Silently, Jake promised himself that he wouldn't let her become alienated. He would rehabilitate her, or he would die trying.

After that day, Jake stopped asking Kyt questions about her life, leaving her alone. Days of traveling began to settle into a routine, with Jake and Sikagi chatting as they walked, and Kyt staying constantly tensed and alert, hiding whenever they passed someone on the road. They'd eat as they walked, Sikagi always coaxing Kyt into at least eating _something_, even if she didn't want to. At night, Kyt would be tied to the nearest tree, her hands bound together in front of her. Jake and Sikagi would settle down nearby to sleep, keeping out of Kyt's reach. Slowly, but surely, Jake and Sikagi began to forget that Kyt was with them. Oh, sure, they remembered that she was there when they had to do something with her, but for the most part, the girl was ignored as they traveled. The routine continued for weeks, until finally they entered the Hithari Hitherlands. No one could have expected what happened there. Or, at least, no one but the feral girl, the child life forgot.

It was night time when it happened. Sikagi and Jake were asleep near the fire, dead to the world. Kyt, already tied up for the night, crouched in the shadows at the base of the tree, violet eyes wide, darting back and forth as she listened to the sounds of the night. Owls called, mice scuttled across the grass, and yet, the girl made not a sound, hardly breathing as she listened, listened to- There! Hoof beats, soft, far away, but coming closer, rapidly. Kyt was on her feet in an instant, tugging her bound hands as far apart as possible, pulling herself up into the tree, and hiding in the foliage, dirt covered skin blending into the leaves of the tree.

Jake woke, uncertain what had roused him from his sleep, but with the nagging feeling that is was something important. He yawned blearily, rubbing his eyes- then freezing, as finally, he too heard the hoof beats. "Sikagi! Sikagi, come on, wake up!" The warrior jumped to his feet, hurrying to where the two had placed their packs. "Huh? Wha?" Sikagi blinked sleepily as she woke, sitting up. "Wha's goin' on?" The thief's voice was muddled with sleep, leaves of hair falling into her face. Jake tossed her dagger to her, still in it's sheath. "We've got company on the way, grab your weapon!"

Kyt held her breath as she hid in the tree, not daring to move. In the distance, she saw centaurs coming over the hill, running towards them. Below her, Jake and Sikagi were preparing for a fight, grabbing their weapons, Sikagi laying traps. Neither of them even glanced towards the tree where Kyt was, not even looking around.

The centaur's arrows reached the group before the centaurs themselves. There weren't many centaurs, only five, but they could shoot faster than the warrior and thief could get in range to attack. Volley after volley of arrows rained down onto the two as the centaurs came closer. The nimble thief darted about, dodging arrows, closing in. Jake ran headlong into the fray, not dexterous enough to dodge the arrows. Sikagi had downed two of the centaurs when she froze, hearing Jake cry out in pain. She turned, horror entering her expression when she saw Jake pinned to the ground by an arrow in his leg, another arrow sticking out of his shoulder. The remaining centaurs raised their bows, and for a moment, time seemed to move in slow motion as Sikagi ran towards them, knowing she wouldn't be fast enough, but knowing she had to try.

The arrows flew from the bows as time returned to normal, but they didn't land where Sikagi had expected them to. Two of them hit her shoulders, the first causing her to fall to the ground, the second pinning her there. The third arrow flew true, piercing into Jake's stomach, drawing from him a groan of pain. Kyt watched the fight from within her tree, silently working at her ropes, until now, they came apart. As the centaurs sheathed their bows, riding closer and drawing their blades, Kyt shut her eyes, and leaped, landing in a crouch.

The centaurs froze for only a moment, startled by the appearance of a new combatant- but a moment was all Kyt needed. She growled ferally at the centaurs, as Sikagi watched, eyes wide. Kyt spread her hands apart, then pushed down on something invisible, something only she could see or feel, it seemed. Fire rained down upon the centaurs, as Sikagi watched in shock, realizing silently- _she's an elementalist!_ It boggled the mind to think of the small, frightened girl as an elementalist, and Sikagi just couldn't comprehend it.

Kyt was ruthless in her fighting. Unlike Jake and Sikagi, she had the element of surprise on her side, and she used it well, instincts honed by years of living alone and hunting for herself. Within minutes, the centaurs had fallen, and Kyt lowered her arms, shaking. She turned to look at Sikagi, and at Jake, who lay groaning where he was pinned. Kyt walked forward, yanking the arrows from the Sylvari's shoulders. She looked to Jake for a moment, then back to Sikagi, who was starting to stand. She hesitated, before shaking her head quietly. She looked at Jake one last time, and then, before Sikagi could say a word, she ran.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Guild Wars.

Note From The Shadows: Hallo! Here's a chapter! Enjoy!

[Chapter Five]

If you asked her, Kyt wouldn't have been able to say how long she ran. Not just because she couldn't talk well- but because she didn't know. She lost track of time as she ran, sprinting away- away, not knowing where she ran, just knowing she _had_ to keep moving. And it felt good. No, it felt wonderful. To be free again, to run with the wind. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Kyt was smiling as she ran- at least, for a moment.

She would often hide as she ran, though, certain she heard pursuit. Whether she did or not, she was never caught. She knew how to live off the land, how to hide and when to run. Sleep became a thing of the past. For that matter, so did eating. There was no time to stop and take a break, to hunt or rest. Guilt plagued Kyt as she remembered leaving Jake to die, but she forced it away. Ignored it, forced herself not to feel it, not to feel anything. Emotions were for people, and as everyone reminded her, often, she wasn't a person.

Perhaps, if Kyt were anyone else, this would have saddened her. But by now, now that she was older, she understood. And she was happy. People were cruel, were mean. They wanted to hurt her, to break her. They had no care for other people- people were monsters, cold and unfeeling, with no kindness in their hearts. Beasts, however- Kyt understood beasts. They made sense. They did what they had to survive, killed only what they must. Beasts showed her kindness when people cast her aside, left her to bleed and cry. Kyt liked beasts. And so, Kyt ran. For days, and through the night, she ran, never stopping unless she had to. She lost count of the days, lost track of everything.

When Kyt finally had to stop, from hunger and exhaustion, there were tear tracks on her cheeks. She hadn't realized she'd been crying, though some part of her knew. She wiped furiously at her eyes, slowing to a walk. For a while, she travelled aimlessly, until she found a cave. It was barely large enough to hold her, half hidden by plant growth. Kyt forced herself through the small opening, curling up inside. She gave up on trying to hold back the tears she had tried to deny, arms wrapping around herself as the dam broke, and she sobbed quietly. Eventually, the girl drifted off to an uneasy sleep.

_ Wyn wasn't a large child. At age six, she was about the size of a three year old. She huddled in the back of her cage, bruises covering her arms and face, ribs showing. She couldn't remember how long she'd been here, not really. She didn't want to, either. Loud men laughed and joked with each other nearby. She didn't like them, their voices were cruel- but she wouldn't make the mistake of telling them that, not again, not after last time. She peeked out from behind her hands when something made the bars of her cage rattle, eyes going towards the sound. When she saw it, the six year old wished she hadn't, bile rising in her throat. A bone. A __**human**__ bone. And it was lying right outside her cage. Wyn turned her head away, doubling over as she dry heaved, bile and stomach acid coming up. The cruel men laughed loudly, their voices grating on her ears. Wyn sobbed softly, curling up into a ball, arms going to protect her head._

_ Footsteps neared her cage, and someone shook the bars. Wyn didn't look up the first time, but when the cage was shaken again, she hesitantly peeked up. One of the men stood in front of her, grinning at her. "You hungry, kid?" Wyn nodded hesitantly, and he smirked. "Good. Come on, get up." The child looked up at him, eyes wide, and he kicked the cage. "Get. Up." Wyn grabbed the bars, using them to help herself stand, small legs wobbling. The cage was opened, and the man dragged her out by her hair, drawing a yelp from her- a yelp that earned her a slap across the face. "Come on, you're being 'entertainment' tonight, girl."_

Kyt woke with a whimper, tears in her eyes. She turned, puking up bile, coughing as she remembered that day, her first kill- though certainly not her last. She knelt there for what felt like hours, vomiting up everything she had eaten, trying to forget her nightmare. She was shaking all over when she finally finished vomiting, pulling herself out of the little hole in the ground. Kyt wiped her mouth, shaking, feeling her stomach turn.

After that incident, Kyt returned to sleeping only when she had to. She'd hunt when she could, and sleep where there was shelter, but mostly, she just wandered aimlessly. After a week, she cut her hair again, with a knife she had scavenged. If she could have seen herself, she'd have known that she looked younger than ever, but she couldn't. She avoided mirrors as she wandered, staying away from the road. Her sleep was filled with nightmares, every time she risked sleeping. After one such nightmare, Kyt spent half a day curled up in her hiding spot, sobbing and shaking, until finally she managed to calm herself.

Kyt lost track of time. Days blended into weeks, which blended into months. The seasons changed, growing colder and colder. During the first few weeks of winter, something caught Kyt's attention. A small, tiny, cold thing had landed on her nose. Kyt blinked, looking around. Small white things were falling from the sky, many landing on her face. Kyt shivered from the cold, trying to brush the flakes away, to no avail. She growled and whined softly, turning and running.

It took her an hour to find a cave, by which point she was soaked, and freezing. She fled inside, hurrying to the back of the cave, curling up and shivering. Kyt sneezed, and whimpered softly, curling tighter. She stared at the entrance to her hiding spot, watching as the cold, white stuff started to pile up outside of the cave, and in front of the entrance. Kyt found herself yawning, eyelids drooping. She stretched a little, then curled up, using her arms as a pillow as she shut her eyes, letting herself slowly drift off to sleep.

When morning came, Kyt was still asleep. For once, she hadn't had a nightmare, or even woken up crying, In fact, a small smile was playing across Kyt's lips- barely there, but it was there. She yawned, stretching, then sleepily blinked her eyes open, not quite awake, but no longer asleep. She felt warm and safe, curled up in the cave, and for a moment, she didn't care why. She glanced around, blinking when she saw that snow had covered the entrance to her cave. A small hole had been dug through the snow, and she blinked again. She looked around for the source of warmth, and couldn't help smiling when she saw the creature.

A small stalker cub had evidently snuck into her cave, seeking warmth, and the tiny creature was now curled up next to Kyt, mewling. Kyt stroked the cubs fur softly, with a tenderness she would never dare show a human, then very gently picked the creature up, holding it close. The cub mewled again, then cuddled against Kyt, resting it's head against her as it returned to sleeping. Kyt giggled softly, continuing to stroke it's silky black fur, settling back down. After all, she figured, it couldn't hurt to delay leaving for a little bit, and they _were_ snowed in, after all. She might as well get a little more sleep.


End file.
